Rita Dove is an important American poet born in 1952 in Akron, Ohio. She graduated with an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and won the Pulitzer Prize for Thomas and Beulah. Her work is noted for its ability to capture contemporary social issues.
‘Claudette Colvin Goes to Work’ by Rita Dove depicts the life and struggles of Claudette Colvin, who is best known as a civil rights activist.
Menial twilight sweeps the storefronts along Lexington
as the shadows arrive to take their places
among the scourge of the earth. Here and there
a fickle brilliance lightbulbs coming on
This poem by Rita Dove is about the playful conversation of a mother and daughter regarding their lady parts. But, why did Dove allude to the controversial picture book for children, ‘Mickey in the Night Kitchen’ in the title?
‘American Smooth’ is a thought-provoking poem in which Dove describes a memorable moment between two dance partners.
‘My Mother Enters the Work Force’ by Rita Dove is a powerful poem about a mother who enters the workforce.